French begin using egg yolks in their ice cream production, marking the origin of custard-based (or “French-style”) ice creams. First known written ice cream recipes appear in the unsigned manuscript L’Art de Faire des Glaces (1700).

1744

Colonist William Black mentions “fine Ice Cream” being served at a dinner party given by Maryland Governor Thomas Bladen, the first record of American ice cream.

1777

Phillip Lenzi advertises the sale of ice cream at his New York City confectioners shop, likely the first retail ice cream location in the US (established c.1774).

1781

Lenzi-competitor Joseph Corre first to advertise the sale of “Ice Cream” by that name.

1792

First ice cream recipe published in the US appears in Richard Briggs’ The New Art of Cooker, According to the Present Practice (W. Spotswood, R. Campbell, and B. Johnson: Philadelphia, PA), 1792.

1802

Thomas Jefferson becomes the first US President to serve ice cream at the White House. Jefferson also credited with bringing “French-style” ice cream (made with egg yolks) to the U.S.

1807

First documentary evidence of an “ice cream cone” appears in the colored engraving “Frascati” by Parisian artist Louis-Philibert Debucourt. The picture depicts a young woman licking an ice-cream cone in the Neaopolitan-owned Café Frascati. This image challenges the commonly-held belief that the ice cream cone was invented at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.

1820s

Augustus Jackson, former White House cook, moves to Philadelphia and begins catering business supplying ice cream to customers and several African American-owned ice cream parlors. Becomes one of Philadelphia’s wealthiest African Americans, often erroneously referred to as “the man who invented ice cream.” Credited with creating many new ice cream recipes.

1843

Nancy Johnson develops and patents first hand-crank ice cream maker. Sells patent to William Young for $200, who names it the “Johnson Patent Ice-Cream Freezer”

1851

Quaker dairy-delivery entrepreneur Jacob Fussell establishes the first large-scale commercial ice cream plant in Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania. Later moved to Baltimore to be closer to the consumer market.

1870s

Development of industrial refrigeration by German engineer Carl von Linde eliminates the need to cut and store natural ice.

1876

The Centennial Exhibition of 1876, held in Philadelphia, brought national attention to the Philadelphia ice cream culture and popularized “Philadelphia-style” ice cream, made without eggs, or with only egg whites.

1890s

In the United States, the French phrase, “à la mode,” used to mean “served with ice cream.”

1899

August Gaulin of Paris invents the homogenizer, which is used to develop the smooth texture of ice cream. US annual ice-cream production (in gallons): 5 million

As the galley boy, William Dreyer given the prestigious job of producing ice cream to celebrate his German ship's arrival in America. After a brief stint making ice cream in New York City, relocates to Northern California to begin a twenty-year apprenticeship with Peerless Ice Cream and National Ice Cream Company.

1909

Chicago leads the way towards safe dairy and ice cream production with the first compulsory pasteurization regulation. U.S. annual ice-cream production (in gallons): 30 million.

1919

U.S. annual ice-cream production (in gallons): 150 million

1920

First ice cream filling and packaging machines introduced by Mojonnier Brothers and Sealright.

1921

Dreyer opens his own ice creamery in Visalia and wins first prize at Pacific Slope Dairy Show.

1920s

Dreyer begins teaching ice cream courses as the Professor Advanced Ice Cream Manufacturing at the University of California, Davis and serving as an officer in the California Dairy Industries Association.

1923

Nizer Cabinet Company introduces the first automatic electric freezer.

1926

National Ice Cream recruits William Dreyer to run a large new plant in Oakland. Clarence Vogt of Lexington, Kentucky develops the first commercially adopted continuous-process freezer.

1928

Dreyer partners with successful Bay Area candy-maker Joseph Edy to found a small ice cream factory on Grand Avenue in Oakland, California, named the Grand Ice Cream Company, with a focus on creative innovation.

1929

Purportedly calming his nerves after Black Thursday, Dreyer adds walnuts (later replaced with almonds) to his chocolate ice cream and, using his wife's sewing shears, cut marshmallows into bite-sized pieces to make the first batch of Rocky Road, a name that gave people something to smile about in the face of the Great Depression. (note: An 1853 Australian confection, sold under the same name, was made of chocolate, marshmallow, nuts, and other fillers and sold to gold miners who travelled the “rocky road” to get to the Australian gold fields.) Prior to this, ice cream had been primarily sold in vanilla, chocolate or strawberry flavors and this marked one of the first flavor combination ice creams. Edy and Dreyer are also credited with creating Toasted Almond and Candy Mint.

1934

Thomas Carvelas, a Greek American, begins selling ice cream in New York and invents a freezer that allows him to make soft “Carvel” ice cream. Pairs American love of ice cream with the romance of car culture, and establishes an ice cream empire of roadside ice cream shops.

Cronk and Rogers introduce Dreyer’s to markets in Washington, Oregon and Arizona while remaining committed to the company’s unique Direct Store Delivery (DSD) model. Model includes using own trucks, drivers, routes and running in-story inventory to insure quality control. As East Coast-based Breyers Ice Cream (owned by Kraft Foods) and West Coast-based Dreyer’s expand into national markets, concerns about brand confusion leads Dreyer’s to agree to use the brand name “Edy’s” in the Eastern U.S. market.

1981

Sales reach $30 million, from $6 million at time of Cronk/Rogers acquisition. Dreyer’s goes public with shares traded on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol DRYR. Dreyer’s President Ken Cook enters the vanilla business, and since then Dreyer’s ice cream has been made with Cook’s Vanilla produced by the Cook Flavoring Company. $45 million Initial Public Offering.

Begins expansion across the Rockies with introduction of Edy’s brand to St Louis, Milwaukee and parts of Ohio. At this point, Dreyer’s had experienced a 959 percent increase in sales since acquisition by Cronk and Rogers

1980s

As company expands, T. Gary Rogers composes the “I Can Make a Difference” philosophy defined by ten tenets, or “Grooves” that aim to empower individuals to realize their potential and promote a cohesive corporate culture.

Dreyer’s becomes first premium ice cream maker to introduce products for the health-conscious consumer, invents proprietary process that produces the first “light” ice cream. The company becomes distributor for Ben & Jerry’s, helping to cover the high cost of company-owned DSD trucks. Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream Charitable Foundation established, supporting community, youth and K-12 public education programs, focused on communities that are home to Dreyer’s operating facilities. Embarks on five-year marketing plan to double sales by the end of the decade.

Dreyer’s introduces new cholesterol-free frozen dessert called American Dream. Less than 1 % fat and 80 calories per three once serving.

1990s

Partners with Nissho Iwai Corporation to market and sell Dreyer’s products in Japan. Pressure from the U.S. forces Japan to lift restrictions on dairy imports, allowing Dreyer’s to ship directly to Japan from manufacturing sites in California. Rising dairy prices stifle market expansion.

1992

Unveils Dreyer’s and Edy’s No Sugar Added ice cream lines, to great success. Expands overseas sales to include exporting to countries in Asia, Pacific Islands, Caribbean and South America.

1993

Anglo-Dutch company Unilever outbids Dreyer’s for acquisition of Breyers. Unilever also purchases Gold Bond-Good Humor Ice Cream Company and renames the brand to Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream Company, continuing the trend towards the globalization of the ice cream industry.

1994

Nestlé acquires approximately 30% of the company.

1995

Dreyer’s succeeds in 14-year struggle to exceed Breyer’s sale, becomes the leading packaged ice cream brand in the U.S. market. In celebration, the company held the Mother of All Parties (MOAP), chartering three DC-10s to bring all employees to Oakland for an “I Can” theme party. Also expands its charitable work with the launch of the Grand Expectations Program.

1996

Oakland City Council votes 8 to 0 to allow 57,000 square-foot $15 million expansion of Oakland manufacturing facility.

1996

30% jump in dairy prices due to drought conditions in dairy states and weakening demand for ice cream hurts profitability.

1998

200,000 people a year take the Dreyer’s factory tour. Michele Massari tour-guide

1998

For the first time Dreyer’s cuts 100 jobs, mainly through attrition, and sells some operations to trim costs and return to profitability. Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc. of Vermont rebuffed a purchase offer from Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, strains distribution relationship. New CFO Tim Kahn committed to “greening” the company, makes truck routes and freezer cycling more efficient.

Nestlé USA joint venture with Häagen-Dazs Plc for super-premium line just at time Dreyer’s launching super-premium Dreamery line. But deal is really a move to someday-own Dreyer’s for its distribution system. Dreyer’s already distributes Nestlé novelties and Ben & Jerry’s.

Nestlé acquires 67% of the company, with rights to purchase the rest by 2006. T. Gary Rogers retains post of Chairman and Chief Executive, President William F. Cronk

2003

W.F. (Rick) Cronk, President of Dreyer's, retires after 26 years in the ice cream business.

2004

Produced using a new churning process called “low-temperature extrusion”, Dreyer's and Edy’s Slow Churned™ Grand Light® Ice Cream has half the fat and a third fewer calories than full-fat premium and takes the ice cream world by storm.